NEET Paper Leak Protest: Supreme Court Issues Notice On Plea Against Closure Of 17 Metro Stations

The Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notice on a petition filed by Advocate Sparsh Kant Nayak, challenging the closure of the metro stations and the restrictions imposed around the protest site.

The closures and security restrictions around Jantar Mantar had disrupted traffic across central Delhi, with commuters reportedly stranded for hours and forced to take longer routes.

During the hearing, Advocate Sanjiv Narang, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the plea concerned the constitutional rights of the public at large and the legal standards governing the shutdown of a public utility.

“There is also no particular statute under which these orders were passed. In fact, no order itself was passed. There were only posts on X communicating the decision to the public,” Narang submitted.

The counsel further argued that the Metro Railways Act does not contain any provision permitting authorities to shut down a metro station in such circumstances.

Justice Joymalya Bagchi orally observed that regulation of vehicular movement is ordinarily carried out through directions issued by the Commissioner of Police or Superintendent of Police under the applicable police laws.

The Bench thereafter agreed to issue notice in the matter.

The petition concerns the closure of 17 metro stations in the vicinity of the protest site during the NEET paper leak protests at Jantar Mantar.

The restrictions had resulted in significant disruption to public transport and traffic movement in central Delhi as police barricaded key stretches and intensified security arrangements around the protest site.

The petitioner has questioned the legal basis for shutting down metro stations, particularly in the absence of a specific statutory order or provision authorising such closure.

The Supreme Court will now consider the responses of the Union Government, Delhi Police, DMRC and other concerned authorities on the legality and constitutional validity of the restrictions.